'He Looked Like a Monster': Witness Describes Terrifying Hawaii Kidnapping Attempt Caught on CCTV

CCTV footage from a Honolulu condominium car park captured the moment a 24-year-old woman was allegedly grabbed, carried about 35 feet towards a truck and only freed after neighbours rushed in to help. Her 77-year-old friend watched in terror as the man allegedly elbowed her in the face, prompting desperate screams for help and a tense confrontation in the Diamond Head neighbourhood.

The incident unfolded around noon on Monday, 26 October 2026, at the Kainalu condominium on Coconut Avenue in Honolulu's Diamond Head area. Police identified the suspect as Diesel Makanikaiaulu Kawelo, 23, who was subsequently arrested and charged with kidnapping.

The 24-year-old woman had been walking through the building's car park with her 77-year-old friend when the man approached them. Police said the suspect elbowed the older woman in the face, while the witness recalled being shoved away from her friend as he picked up the younger woman.

The elderly witness, who asked not to be identified, described the suspect as frightening and said she feared for her friend's safety.

'He looked like a monster. He just had so much hatred and craziness in his eyes,' she told Hawaii News Now.

CCTV Shows Struggle in Honolulu Car Park

Surveillance footage reportedly showed Kawelo entering the garage and approaching the two women before the younger woman began backing away. He allegedly continued towards her and chased her when she tried to escape.

The footage then showed the man carrying the woman as she struggled to break free. Her elderly friend said she shouted for help as the incident unfolded.

'I was yelling, "Help! Help!" and she was yelling, too. She was saying, "You don't want to do this. Don't do this,"' the witness recalled.

According to authorities, Kawelo carried the woman approximately 35 feet while she struggled to escape. She swung her limbs, pulled at his hair and screamed for help, police said.

Police said the woman was dropped about four feet from the suspect's truck. Witnesses said several neighbours converged on the scene, allowing her to break free before Kawelo fled.

Witnesses said the suspect got into his truck and sped backwards out of the parking area along Coconut Avenue.

Neighbours Race in as Victim Screams for Help

The victim's screams alerted residents in the condominium complex, several of whom rushed to intervene.

Neighbour Mike Finkelstein described confronting the suspect after realising what was happening.

'I yelled at him, "Let her go. I've called the police. I'm coming down there after you,"' he told Hawaii News Now.

Another resident said she witnessed a man holding the woman tightly and dragging her towards the back of his truck.

'I could see, right here, a man bear-hugging a woman and dragging her to the back of his truck,' she recalled.

The resident added that she began shouting after hearing other neighbours calling for help.

'I just started screaming, "Drop her! Drop her! Drop her!" And she was screaming for her life. She was terrified,' she said.

The residents' intervention helped the woman escape before the suspect fled. The elderly witness later described the frightening experience, saying she and her friend had been left shaken by what happened.

Suspect Arrested Running Naked After Alleged Attack

Kawelo was arrested approximately three hours after the alleged incident. Police said officers located him running naked near the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Diamond Head Road before taking him into custody.

Police said the 24-year-old woman later identified Kawelo in a lineup.

Kawelo was charged with kidnapping, with his bail set at $500,000 (£373,000). During his first court appearance on Thursday, 29 October, prosecutors outlined the allegations against him, while authorities provided details of the alleged struggle.

The 23-year-old appeared barefoot and wearing shackles around his ankles. He remained silent during the hearing, according to the court report.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Monday, 2 November, as the case continued through the legal process.

The 77-year-old witness said she and her friend were experiencing nightmares following the incident, while the neighbourhood remained on edge.

However, the allegations against Kawelo remain subject to the court process. He has been charged but has not been convicted, and the full circumstances of the incident will be determined through the legal proceedings.